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Bill Keller on Restaurant Critics and Anonymity

Tony Cenicola/The New York TimesBill Keller is executive editor of The New York Times.

Bill Keller, executive editor of the New York Times, answers several readers’ questions about anonymity in the modern age and how it will affect the paper’s next restaurant critic, Sam Sifton:

Q.

Sam – Can’t wait to read your reviews. But I always thought that an important part of being a restaurant critic was for one’s face to be unknown among the general — or at least the restaurant-going — public. I remember hearing stories of the lengths to which Ruth Reichl would go in order to remain undetected. But I remember seeing your picture on one of the Ask the Editors features on nytimes.com. So…..is that a problem? Or have you recently undergone facial transplant surgery? Or did I just unwittingly provide a lot of chefs and restaurant owners with an inside track to getting a better review in the Times? — David

Q.

Mr. Sifton’s picture is everywhere–-how can the Times seriously claim any sort of objectivity in its reviews? — Ryan

Q.

I too would like to know if Mr. Sifton intends to disguise himself or will take a different, more “recognizable” approach a la Amanda Hesser. — Peter Steinberg

A.

I’m interested in hearing the thoughts of readers on this subject as we pack Sam’s bag of tricks. But it’s worth noting that anonymity has long been less than perfect. Read Ruth Reichl’s book about her long stint as the Times restaurant critic, and you learn that despite all her theatrical dress-ups she was often made by the maitre d’hotel. I’ve dined with Frank Bruni in places where it was clear — from the trying-too-hard service, or the clusters of whispering waiters, or some other tell — that they were on to us.

Some restaurants care desperately about critics, and keep the equivalent of a TSA watch list at the reservation desk. Others, probably most, are not on the lookout for critics because they are plenty busy doing their jobs. A review is almost always based on multiple, unannounced visits at different meals, and a reviewer’s own experience can be cross-checked with intelligence from others. So, while we don’t intend to put Sam’s face on sides of MTA buses, I’m not going to lose a lot of sleep over this. And, don’t forget, New York has some of the world’s best cosmetic surgeons.

I’ve written restaurant reviews on California’s Central Coast for a decade, so most restaurateurs recognize me. But no matter how fine the cuisine, or how passionate the cafe owner, they cannot change the inherent quality of the foods they’ve prepped for dinner just because I walked through the door. Even when it comes to service, if I happen to get the server who could care less, I’m not getting any better treatment than anyone else. Yet I agree NYT shouldn’t post the new critic’s photo.